PROVIDENCE -At a formal ceremony this morning at Fort Adams in Newport, hosted by the Department of Environmental Management, George Wein and Festival Productions, Inc., producers of the JVC Jazz Festival and the Ben & Jerry's Folk Festival, presented a $30,000 contribution to the Fort Adams Trust for improvements to the historic fort.

The funds are the first of three yearly $30,000 contributions by Wein and Festival Productions, Inc. to a capital fund established by the Trust for restoration of the fort for educational and recreational use.

Fort Adams, a national historic landmark and the second largest seacoast fortification built in the United States, has experienced deterioration over the past 150 years, but remains substantially intact. Capital improvements made in 1994 and 1995 allowed parts of the fort to be reopened to the public for the first time in more than a decade, but much remains to be done.

According to Anthony M. Palermo, Executive Director of the Fort Adams Trust, the $30,000 donation from George Wein and Festival Productions, Inc. will be used for stabilization of masonry in areas of public access and along the tour route and for immediate security improvements. Any remaining funds will be used for initial restoration projects consistent with the Trust's strategic plan. The Fort Adams Trust, founded in 1994, is charged with directing the restoration, operation, and maintenance of the fort as a historic site.

The 21 1/2-acre fort is part of DEM's 80-acre Fort Adams State Park, home of many special events that capitalize on its prominent location on the East Passage of Narragansett Bay. George Wein, founder of the Newport jazz and folk festivals in the 1950s, brought the concerts back to Newport in the 1980s, where they have been staged at Fort Adams, under agreement with DEM. That agreement was amended this year to allow Wein's Festival Productions, Inc., to contribute $30,000 to the Fort Adams Trust for the Fort Adams Foundation's capital improvements to the fort. The Foundation was created by the Rhode Island General Assembly to promote interest, programs and projects relating to the restoration of the historical fort structure.

"This is a winning situation for all concerned," DEM Director Jan Reitsma said. "George Wein is synonymous with the Newport Jazz and Folk Festivals, and there has been a long relationship between the festivals and Fort Adams. Rhode Island benefits from the festivals being held at Fort Adams, through increased tourism and the public's enjoyment of this unique historical and recreational resource. George Wein and Festival Productions not only benefit from the use of Fort Adams, but can take pride in providing some financial support for the restoration of the fort."

George Wein is also happy with the arrangement. "I am very pleased to have this opportunity to give something back to Fort Adams by providing funding for its capital improvements. Our festivals have flourished in this location for 15 years and we are glad that a portion of our rent to the state can now be applied directly to this important cause," he said.

Senator M. Theresa Paiva-Weed, Chair of the Fort Adams Foundation said, "This is a very important first step towards the long-term improvement of the fort as an educational site and historic tourist attraction. This donation also starts us on the road to funding our portion of the $1 million matching grant approved by the state legislature for the year 2002."

"The Fort Adams Trust welcomes Mr. George Wein as an active participant in our resolve to restore Fort Adams to its rightful place as one of our nation's finest architectural achievements," said Frank Hale, president of the Trust. "I would ask the people of Rhode Island to become part of this public/private endeavor and leave a lasting legacy to those who will follow us."

The Fort Adams site was recognized from early colonial days as key to the defense of Newport Harbor and Narragansett Bay. An observation post was built on the site in 1740, and earthwork fortifications were established during the French and Indian and Revolutionary Wars. In 1799 the first permanent fortifications were dedicated, but by the end of the War of 1812, the fort was in disrepair. Construction of the "new" Fort Adams, designed to defend against both land and sea attack, began in 1824 and was completed in 1857. It was considered to be the most advanced masonry work of its era, and is the most elaborate work of its kind in North America, with a complex system of fortifications. Modifications were made to adapt the fort to differing military conditions during later wars, and though the fort was never attacked, it remained active through World War II when it served as a command post for the extensive coastal defense network protecting Narragansett Bay and Long Island Sound. The fort was deeded to the state in 1965.

A detailed history of the fort and its construction can be found by clicking on RI Parks at DEM's web site at www.dem.state.ri.us.